Vasai woes: Residents drown in waterlogging while officials stay MIA

Severely waterlogged roads in Vasai. Pics/Hanif Patel

The torrential downpour and civic apathy have severely impacted the lives of residents in Vasai taluka. Despite spending crores on revamping roads and constructing nullahs, the longstanding issue of waterlogging remains unresolved. Officials continue to blame ‘high tide, low tide' to deflect responsibility.

A buffalo wallows in water collected in a huge pothole in Naigaon

Residents of Gass village in Vasai West are forced to wade through knee-deep waterlogged roads to reach their bungalows. "More than 5,500 people live in Gass village, where life is severely disrupted during the monsoon season. All the roads in this village are waterlogged today, and if the rain continues, water will enter our houses due to the lack of a proper drainage system. We have been facing this problem for the past five years," said Linus Lopes, a local resident.

"All our complaints to the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) have fallen on deaf ears. The officials seem more interested in pleasing local politicians for their own gain," Lopes added. On Thursday, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Neeta Kore visited Gass village to assess the situation, but Lopes noted that "she never got out of her car."

"I visited the area on Thursday and have arranged for one pump to remove the water from the roads. Discussions are underway to install additional pumps in Gass village to address the waterlogging issue," said Kore. Residents of Vasai, Virar, and Nalasopara are grappling with various issues, including lack of potable water, waterlogging, and poorly-lit roads riddled with potholes. However, the indifferent attitude of civic officials continues to hinder improvements in the deteriorating infrastructure.